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Postcards of Palm Springs II

Wonder Palms Resort: This postcard, mailed to Los Angeles in 1952, shows the Wonder Palms Guest Ranch, a cluster of bungalows, hidden in a field of date palms, along Highway 11 in what is now Rancho Mirage. Postcard provided by Noela Lara, of Rancho Mirage.

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Postcards of Palm Springs II

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Wonder Palms Resort: This postcard, mailed to Los Angeles in 1952, shows the Wonder Palms Guest Ranch, a cluster of bungalows, hidden in a field of date palms, along Highway 11 in what is now Rancho Mirage. Postcard provided by Noela Lara, of Rancho Mirage. The Desert Sun

Palm Canyon: This postcard, mailed to Maywood, Cali., in 1950, shows the downtown Palm Springs plaza, with DesmondÕs department store in the background. The store was open from 1947 until 2005. ÒThis is a beautiful place, but hot as Hades,Ó a tourist wrote on the back. Postcard provided by Noela Lara, of Rancho Mirage. The Desert Sun

Palm to Pines Highway: This postcard, mailed to San Berdardino in 1948, shows the Palms to Pines Highway, which runs through the mountainous forest west of Palm Springs. Postcard provided by Noela Lara, of Rancho Mirage. The Desert Sun

Plaza, black and white: This postcard, mailed in 1949, shows the downtown plaza from east to west. The building on the left is now TylerÕs Burgers, and the building on the right holds a cluster of shops include Good Gauze, SeeÕs Candies and BillÕs Pizza. Postcard provided by Noela Lara, of Rancho Mirage. The Desert Sun

The Rossmore 2: This postcard, which was never mailed, shows The Rossmore, a Palms Springs hotel on the north end of downtown that was popular in the Ô40s and Ô50s. Postcard provided by Noela Lara, of Rancho Mirage. The Desert Sun

Royal Palms Hotel: This postcard, mailed in 1946, shows The Royal Palms Hotel, which once sat in the center of downtown. The hotel building has been converted into a string of shop fronts, but the pool remains, hidden behind the Desert Fox bar. Postcard provided by Noela Lara, of Rancho Mirage. The Desert Sun

Sans Souci: This postcard, mailed to 1948, shows San Souci, which was once among the nicest restaurants in Indio. The restaurant was popular in the Ô40s and Ô50s, but closed sometime in the Ô60s, said Bob Tyler, a long-time resident who volunteers with the Coachella Valley History Museum. Postcard provided by Noela Lara, of Rancho Mirage. The Desert Sun

Tennis Club: This postcard, mailed to Beverly Hills sometime in the Ô50s, shows the Palm Springs Tennis Club, which still exists today. The club was built in 1936. Postcard provided by Noela Lara, of Rancho Mirage. The Desert Sun

Thunderbird Golf Course: This postcard, sent to Long Beach in 1960, shows the Thunderbird Golf Course in Rancho Mirage. Today the ranch has transformed into a country club. Postcard provided by Noela Lara, of Rancho Mirage. The Desert Sun

Thunderbird Ranch: This postcard, sent to Los Angeles in 1950, shows the Thunderbird Ranch swimming pool in Rancho Mirage. Today the ranch has transformed into a country club. Postcard provided by Noela Lara, of Rancho Mirage. The Desert Sun

Postcard Book Cover: This is ÒPostcards of the Desert,Ó a book released by the Desert Hot Springs Historical Society in November. The book tells the history of the city, illustrated entirely in postcards. The Desert Sun

Postcard Book Inside: A scanned page from ÒPostcards of the DesertÓ shows the cityÕs first bathhouse, built by L.W. Coffee. Postcards like these tell the entire history of Desert Hot Springs in this book, which was released by the Desert Hot Springs Historical Society. The Desert Sun

Postcard Book Inside: A scanned page from ÒPostcards of the DesertÓ shows the Waldorf Health Resort, which attracted tourists to the cityÕs springs. Today the resort has been transformed into an apartment building. The Desert Sun

Palm Canyon Drive, Candy Store: This postcard, mailed to Oakland in 1945, shows Palm Canyon Drive in downtown Palm Springs. The building in the foreground is now the SeeÕs Candies store, and the Plaza Theater can be seen in the background. Postcard provided by Noela Lara, of Rancho Mirage. The Desert Sun